Diaphragm inserter



" l 1943- s. H. CHAMBEIQQLAIN, JR: 2,324,485

I DIAPHRAGM INSERTER I Filed lay 26, 1941 v INVENTOR G'eorye t'bamberlalm/r a BY I ATTORNEY Patented July 20, 1943 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE- George H. Chamberlain, In, San Jose, Calif.

Application May 26, 1941, Serial No. 395,121

8 Claims. (Cl. 128-127) This invention relates to an improved form of instrument for inserting into the vaginal canal a diaphragm that, is intended to-cover the mouth of the womb.

My present object is to devise such an instrument that is quickly and readily adjustable to either active or idle position for any size of diaphragm; that will dependably maintain the position to which it is adjusted; that can be readily inserted into and withdrawn from the body cavity and can be manipulated from the outside for discharging the diaphragm; that can be readily taken apart for sterilization and that has no -metal parts; that is free of any protruding portions that might-injure the delicate tissues of the body; and that is of such construction that the parts can be molded from plastic material at a comparatively low cost.

Other objects will appear from the following description and claims when considered together with accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved device in operative position, ready to be inserted;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of my device in idle position, ready to be withdrawn;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device;

Fig. 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line 5-5 of Fit. 2. i

It is to be understood that the present form of disclosure'is merely for the purpose of illustration and that there may be devised various modifications thereof without departing from the spirit of the invention embodied therein.

The body member i is of substantially circular cross section and, throughout the main extent thereof, has the slot 2 which is open at the rear end thereof for the introduction of the slide member 3. The laterally extending guide pins 4. on the forward end of the slide member 3, have slide engagement in the oppositely disposed grooves 5 in the inner surfaces of the walls of the slot 2, so that the slide member can be adjusted along the body member.

The slide member 3 is adapted to be adjusted rearwardlyto suitable position according to the size of the diaphragm D to be inserted, the diametrically opposite portions of the marginal spring of the diaphragm being engaged in the notch 6 in the forward end of the slide member and the notch 'I'in the forward end of the body member I. The forward end portion of the body member is tapered slightly towards the end thereof and its notch extends in a direction slightly upwardly and rearwardly, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. r

The grooves 5 are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body member I except at the forward end thereof where they are both curved downwardly, as indicated at 5a..- When the pins 4 occupy position in the main part of grooves 5, the slide member is in active position. as indicated in Fig. 1, and when the pins 4 occupy position in the extreme forward ends of the grooves 5, the slide member is in idle position, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The underside of the slide member 3 has a series of notches that are adapted to engage over the transverse anchor pin 9 at the rear end of the body member, this for the purpose of holding the slide member in the position to which adjusted. The one notch Ill, near the rear end of the slide member, is normal to the edge of the slide member; while the other notches i I are inclined rearwardly, as indicated in the drawing. The pitch of the notches II is for the purpose of preventing disengagement of the slide member 3 from the anchor pin 9 when under tension of the resilient diaphragm; while the form of the notch l0 tends to prevent the slide member from raising up in the slot 2 if, during manipulation and after releasing the diaphragm, any thrust is put on the forward end of the slide member in reverse direction.

Around the rear end of the body member I have provided the guard member l2 of a substantially inverted key-hole shape, the upper part thereof being formed upon the inside thereof to accommodate snugly the slide member 3. This guard member is'of such height that it will permit the slide member to be raised for adjustment but without permitting the slide member to leave the slot 2.

When the slide member 3 is in withdrawn or active position, the forward end thereof is in raised position so that the diaphragm can be engaged in the notch- 8; but when the slide member is in idle or forward position, it is lowered and is practically flush with the'surface of the body member, the outer surface of the slide member having a curvature corresponding with that of the cylindrical form of the main part of the body member.

In loading the inserter, the rear end of the slide member is raised out of engagement with the anchor pin 9 so that it can be withdrawn to the proper extent according to the size of the diaphragm to be used, there being a scale marked upon the body member and an index arrow upon the slide member for determining the proper.

position. As the slide member is withdrawn, the

forward end thereof is elevated, as indicated in Fig. 1; and, when the slide member has been .adjusted to proper position, the rear end portion thereof is lowered so as to have one of the notches ll engage the anchor pin 9. The diaphragm is then applied to the inserter by first engaging the edge of thesame in the notch I and thenstretching the same so as to engage the notch 8. Then the diaphragm is inserted into the body cavity as far as possible and is then automatically disengaged and released from the inserter upon raising the rear end of the slide member and moving the same forwardly to its extreme position. As will be observed, this entire manipulation is effected from the outside. The notch I having a longitudinally disposed open-sided slot is then engaged over the anchor pin 9. Then the slide member, including its notched'end 8, oc-

cupies position entirely within the body member i. The inserter then has a cylindrical form throughout substantially the entire extent thereof and there are no protruding parts that can possibly injure delicate tissues of the woman's body as the inserter is withdrawn.

My present improved device consists mainly of two parts which can be readily separated and sterilized and thus can be maintained in sanitary condition with very little trouble; and, since the parts are capable of being molded of plastic therein, and a companion member having slide engagement in said slot and being capable of tilting adjustment therein, said members throughout the extent of their slide engagement with each other being of substantially uniform dimensions, the forward ends of said members having means of engagement with a flexible diaphagm to be inserted, the diaphragm-engaging end portion of said companion member when tilted being adapted to occupy a withdrawn, ac-

' tive, elevated position for engagement of the diamaterial, there are no metal parts that are subject to rusting. This device is of stream-line design and is adapted for use with any size of diaphragm.

Thus it will be seen that this device fulfills all of the several objects above specified and possesses also other practical advantages that will readily suggest themselves to those who are familiar with the art to which this invention relates.

While this device is preferably made of plastic material, as above explained, yet it may of course be made of any other suitable material, as for instance Monel metal or stainless steel which would also be free of rust.

hragm, and to occupy an idle forward lowered position for removal of the inserter, cam means of slidable interengagement'between said members, actuated by said sliding movement of said companion member, forefl'ecting adjustment of said companion member from its one position to its other position, and means adapted to engage .said companion member for holding the same 1 in either of said positions.

3. An inserter comprising a long body member having'alongitudinally disposed open-sided Also, a spring might be attached to the inner surface of the guard member 12 so as to have engagement with the upper side of the slide member 3 and serve to hold the same down while mounting the diaphragm. However, this is not necessary since the member 3 can be held down by the index finger of the hand of the user.

There is of course a particular advantage in beingableto make this device entirely of plastic material, or substantially so, especially during a time when it is very difficult if not practically impossible to obtain metal for such anarticle.

Other advantages resulting from my present improved form of device will readily suggest themselves to those who are familiar with the art to which this invention relates.

What I claim is:

1. An inserter comprising a long body member having a longitudinally disposed slot therein, and a readily separable companion member having longitudinal slide engagement in said. slot, the forward ends of said members 'having means of engagement with a flexible diaphragm to be inserted, said companion member being adapted to occupy a position beyond the surface of said body member, for engagement of the diaphragm, and to occupy an idle position substantially flush with the outer surface of said body member, pin and inclined groove means of slidable interengagement between said members for effecting adjustment of said companion members from one of said positions to the other as it is slid along slot therein, a companion memberhaving means of slidable and tiltable engagement in said slot, the forward ends of said-members having means of engagement witha flexible diaphragm to be inserted, the diaphragm-engaging end portion of said companion member being adapted to have its forward end tiltedupwardly as it is withdrawn 'to occupy an active position, for engagement of the diaphragm, and to be lowered to a' normal forward position for removal of the inserter, cam means of slidable interengagement between said members for effecting such tilting of the forward end of said companion member as it is withdrawn along said slot and for effecting normal lowered forward position as it is moved in the opposite direction along said body member, a projection upon one of said members, and the other of said members having a plurality of forwardly pitched notches and a normally disposed notch for engagement with said projection for holding said companion member in active and idle positions, respectively.

4. An inserter-comprising a longbody member I having a longitudinally disposed open-sided slot therein, a companion member having means of slidable and tiltable engagement in said slot, the forward ends of said members having means of engagement with a flexible diaphragm to be inserted, the diaphragm-engaging end portion of said companion member being adapted to have its forward end tilted upwardly as it is withdrawn to occupy an active position, for engagement of the diaphragm, and to be lowered to a normal idle positionsubstantially flush with the surface of said body member, for removal of the inserter, pin and inclined groove means of slidable interengagement between said members for effecting such tilting of the forward end of said companion member as it is withdrawn along said slot and for eifecting normal lowered forward position as it is moved in the opposite direction along said body member, and means for holding said companion member in said active and idle positions, respectively.

5. An inserter comprising a, long body member having an axially disposed open-sided slot therein, said slot being closed at one end and open at the other end thereof, a companion member having means of slidable engagement in said slot, said members having means of engagement with a flexible diaphragm, to be inserted, at the corresponding forward ends of said members, the diaphragm-engaging end portion of said companion member being adapted to have its forward end tilted upwardy as it is withdrawn so as to occupy a position beyond the surface of said body member, for engagement of the diaphragm, and to be lowered to an 'idle forward normal position substantially flush .with the surface of said body member for removal of the inserter, cam means of interengagement between said members for effecting such tilting of the forward end of said companion member as it is withdrawn along said slot and for effecting normal lowered forward position as it is moved in the opposite direction along said body member, and means for holding said companion member in said active and idle positions, respectively.

6. An inserter comprising a long body member having a longitudinally disposed slot therein, and a readily separable companion member having longitudinal slide engagement in said slot, the forward ends of said members having means of engagement with a flexible diaphragm, to be inserted, the forward end portions of said companion member being adapted to occupy a position beyond the surface of said body member, for engagement of the diaphragm, and to occupy an effecting adjustment of said companion member from one of said positions to the other as it is slid along the slot of said body member, and

means-for holding said companion member in idle position substantially flush with the outer surface of said body member, cam means of slidable interengagement between said members for either of said positions.

7. An inserter comprising a long body memher having a longitudinally disposed slot therein, and a readily separable companion member having longitudinal slide engagement in said slot, the forward ends of said members having means-of engagement with a flexible diaphragm to be inserted, the forward end portion of said companion member being adapted to occupy a position beyond the surface of said body member, for engagement of the diaphragm, and to occupy an idle position substantially flush with the outer surface of said body member, and means actuated by said sliding movement of said companion member for effecting adjustment thereof from the one to the other of said positions thereof.

8. An inserter comprising a long body member having a longitudinally disposed slot therein, and a readily separable companion member having longitudinal slide engagement in said slot, the forward ends of said members having means of engagement with a flexible diaphragm to be inserted, the forward end portion of said companion member beingadapted to occupy a position beyond the surface of said body member, for engagement of the diaphragm, and to occupy an idle position substantially flush with the outer surface of said body member, means actuated by said sliding movement of said companion member for effecting adjustment thereof from the one to the other of said positions thereof, and means for holding said companion memberin either of said positions.

GEORGE H. CHAMBERLAIN, Ja. 

